With milder weather comes the risk of Blowfly, or maggots, on sheep farms and after the mild winter this year sheep farmers should be on the lookout for signs of Blowfly.

Blowfly strike is weather-dependent and unpredictable weather makes early and late blowfly challenge a particular problem

However, research shows that as well as regional risk differences, there will also be on-farm variation between farms that are hit by maggots.

  1. Areas with a moist climate or damp ground
  2. Wooded areas with a low wind factor
  3. South-facing slopes
  4. Dead-pits or undisposed carcases
  5. Areas with sheltered valleys.

Blowfly Symptoms

The main symptoms of a Blowfly strike include agitated and dejected sheep, with sheep likely to be seen foot stamping, shaking vigorously, gnawing or rubbing their tail and breech.

Any farmer who’s had a Blowfly strike on the farm previously will know all about the smell and it’s a sure sign of an issue. And, unfortunately for the sheep, the smell attracts even more flies.

The condition of the sheep’s wool may also be sign of Blowfly, as it becomes matted and discoloured and is eventually shed.

Blowfly, maggots,

Blowfly larvae need soil temperatures above 9oC to develop and the first ‘wave’ of flies – from overwintered larvae – is what causes a spring strike.

Flies continue to deposit many hundreds of eggs onto affected sheep, which hatch into larvae and the larvae develop through 3 stages between egg and adult.

The final two stages see the sheep’s skin damaged as they feed causing ‘strike’ which leads to production losses and welfare problems.

3 strikes on sheep

Body – Flies are attracted to sheep by the odours of excessive ‘sweating’ and decaying organic matter in the fleece, anywhere  over the loins, shoulders, flanks, neck, back, throat or abdomen.

Breech – Flies are attracted to fleece contaminated with urine and/or faeces and breech strike is particularly associated with scouring.

Wound – flies can be attracted to open wounds; these are often on the feet.

Competition

To be in with a chance to win a year’s supply of CLiK or CLiKZin products to treat blowfly check out our interactive blowfly outbreak map and report any cases on your farm.